Tōbu Utsunomiya Line

     Tobu Utsunomiya Line

An 8000 series EMU on the Tobu Utsunomiya Line, October 2008
Overview
Native name 東武宇都宮線
Type Heavy rail
Locale Kantō Region
Termini Shin-Tochigi
Tōbu Utsunomiya
Stations 11
Operation
Opening 1931
Owner Tobu Railway
Rolling stock Tobu 350 series, Tobu 8000 series EMUs
Technical
Line length 24.3 km (15.1 mi)
Track gauge 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in)
Electrification 1,500 V DC, overhead catenary

The Tōbu Utsunomiya Line (東武宇都宮線 Tōbu Utsunomiya-sen) is a 24.3-kilometre railway line in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, owned and operated by the private railway operator Tobu Railway. It connects Shin-Tochigi Station in Tochigi with Tobu Utsunomiya Station in Utsunomiya.

Shin-Tochigi Station offers connections to the Tōbu Nikkō Line and the Tōbu Main Line network.

Stations

All stations are in Tochigi Prefecture.

No. Station Japanese Distance (km) Transfers Location
TN-12 Shin-Tochigi 新栃木 0.0 Tobu Nikko Line Tochigi
TN-31 Yashū-Hirakawa 野州平川 2.0  
TN-32 Yashū-Ōtsuka 野州大塚 3.9  
TN-33 Mibu 壬生 7.3   Mibu, Shimotsuga District
TN-34 Kuniya 国谷 10.8  
TN-35 Omocha-no-Machi おもちゃのまち 12.6  
TN-36 Yasuzuka 安塚 14.8  
TN-37 Nishi-Kawada 西川田 18.3   Utsunomiya
TN-38 Esojima 江曽島 20.3  
TN-39 Minami-Utsunomiya 南宇都宮 22.1  
TN-40 Tobu Utsunomiya 東武宇都宮 24.3  

Rolling stock

History

The entire line opened in 1931, electrified at 1,500 V DC.[1]

Former connecting lines

In 1897, the Tochigi Prefectural Government opened a 3 km 2 ft (610 mm) gauge line from Nishi-Kawada to Nishihara-cho, extending it 10 km to Yoshihara in 1899 and opening a 4 km branch to Tokujiro the following year. Handcar passenger services commenced on both lines from opening, operating until 1928. A 7.5 km branch from Nishihara-cho to Tateiwa was opened in 1898 to haul gravel.

In 1931, the lines were purchased by the Tobu Railway, which closed all except the Tateiwa branch, which it converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge and built a connection to Tsuruta Station on the Nikko Line. The Tateiwa branch ceased operation in 1961 following a landslide and was formally closed in 1964.

References

This article incorporates material from the corresponding article in the Japanese Wikipedia.

  1. Terada, Hirokazu (19 January 2013). データブック日本の私鉄 [Databook: Japan's Private Railways] (in Japanese). Japan: Neko Publishing. p. 62-63. ISBN 978-4-7770-1336-4.